ObjectiveThe general objective of the West Africa Coastal Areas Program (WACA) is to strengthen the resilience of the targeted communities and areas in coastal West Africa.

The objective of the NDF funding is to improve climate resilience in coastal regions of Benin and Senegal. Another objective is to strengthen regional climate change cooperation through the WACA Platform to allow regional integration and joint action, test innovative financial instruments, and where relevant involve the private sector.

The following outcomes are expected of the NDF financing

In Benin:

Feasibility studies, detailed design, tender preparations and supervision of works for the restoration of the land strip at a coastal site in West Benin.

Environmental and social impact studies to safeguard the physical investments for the site.

Measures for protection of the selected segment of the land strip in Benin.

In Senegal:

Establishment and operationalisation of a National Coastal Observatory in Senegal.

Contribute to the design and launch of the WACA Platform, which has as a goal to leverage public and private financing of USD 2 billion. NDF’s original small grant (NDF C77) has already leveraged more than USD 6.5 million of other financing, helped leverage the total project costs (USD 233 million) of this project and will continue to leverage even more financing for the project in the future.

Contribute to the design and piloting of new climate financing instruments.

Maintain regional and national policy engagement, scale up and prepare new projects based on field evaluation and follow-up to secure uptake of new skills. The WACA Program was showcased at the One Planet Summit in December 2017.

Support Independent Technical and Scientific Panel of Experts to ensure that climate criteria and private sector, innovation, leveraging investments become integral parts of the solutions for coastal zone climate resilience.

Support the technical implementation of the NDF loans to Benin and Senegal.

FinancingThe total project cost estimate is EUR 197.2 million. NDF is providing EUR 4.0 million in loan to Benin, EUR 4.0 million in loan to Senegal and EUR 5.1 million in grant to the WestAfrica region, while IDA provides approximately EUR 161.3 million.